Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt launches advanced leadership program for tourism officials
Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister on Monday launched the first edition of an advanced executive leadership programme aimed at preparing a new generation of senior managers, the ministry said in a statement.
The programme, known as the Advanced Executive Leadership Programme (AELP), will train 31 mid-level officials from the ministry and its affiliated bodies. Participants were selected after a series of tests and interviews. The initiative is being organised in cooperation with the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development and IBDL Learning Group, along with international academic partners.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy, speaking at the inaugural session held at the ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, said investing in human capital was a top priority. He stressed the need to build both professional knowledge and personal skills, including communication, self-development and the ability to adapt to future planning and change.
Fathy highlighted the importance of teamwork and building groups capable of driving institutional improvement. He called for the programme to include a wider range of topics such as financial management and emotional intelligence, alongside training related to the tourism and antiquities sectors.
He said the ministry intended to launch additional rounds of the programme for other promising staff, with continuous updates to its content.
IBDL Learning CEO Khaled Khalaf outlined the group’s experience in preparing second- and third-tier leaders and noted its successful partnerships with government entities in capacity building. He said a detailed profile of each trainee would be submitted to the minister at the end of the programme.
Adel Sadeq, head of business development at IBDL and the programme’s technical director, presented the programme’s structure, which includes tracks in personal development, specialised executive education, general executive education and institutional development.
Ahmed Rahima, the minister’s assistant for human resources development, said the four‑month programme combines in-person and virtual workshops focused on leadership, public administration and practical applications. Participants will also shadow senior officials as part of their training.
The opening session featured a short video on Egypt’s investment in human capital and the importance of the tourism and antiquities sectors.
Senior ministry officials attended the event, including Ahmed Youssef, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, and Ihab Salem, assistant minister for governance and internal audit.